Electrically-propelled car



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

B. M. HUNTER. ELEOTRIOALLY PROPELLED GAR.

Patented Apr. 28, 1891.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

R M. HUNTER. ELEGTRIGALLY PROPELLED GAR.

Patented Apr. 28,1891.

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UNi'rEn STATES Erica.

PATENT ELECTRlCALLY-PROPELLED CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 451,155, dated April 28, 1891.

Application filed January 3, 1891. Serial No. 376,611- (No model.)

T0 at whom it 12mg concern:

Be it known that I, RUDOLPH M. HUNTER, of the city and county of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Electrically-Propelled Cars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to electricallypropelled-cars; and it consists of certain improvements, which are fully set forth in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, which form a part thereof.

Heretofore it has been customary to either locate the motor upon the platform of the car and connect its shaft with the axle or axles thereof by means of suitable power-transmitting devices or the motor has been sleeved or journaled upon the axle at one end and supported at the other by a flexible or elastic connection with the car-body, or, whatis now the common practice, a truck-framehas been supported upon the axles independently of the car-body through suitable bearings arranged directly upon the axles, and the motors have been sleeved or journaled to the respective axles and supported by the independent frame by means of spring-connections. The latter construction, while being the most practical and the one which in practice has been found most desirable, is open to the objection of being cumbersome and of putting excessive wear upon the axle-boxes, which already have a large duty to perform in supporting the car-body with its load.

The object of my invention is to so construct my truck that the motors are sleeved or journaled upon the axles and supported independently of the car-body by means of an elastic or other connection with a supporting-frame hung from the axles through the mediation of the journals of the motors where they are sleeved or journaled upon the said axles. In practice the motor moves but a small degree about the axle, and consequently the frame may be supported in any suitable manner from the motor structure, but preferably so as to exert the downward pull directly through the axles and not put any additional strain upon the supportingsprings, which sustain the free end' of the motor. However, my invention broadly comprehends sustaining the supporting -frame upon which the free ends of the motors are electrically supported by means of the framework of the motors themselves or their journal-boxes where they are sleeved upon the axles. The supporting-frame maybe arranged above or below the axles, as desired, and may be extended so as to sustain the guard-boards at each end of the car, and these guard-boards may be steadied, if desired, by a light framework connected to the axle-boxes. Minor improvements are set out hereinafter.

It is immaterial to my invention what mechanical connection is employed between the motor-shaft and the axle, as gearing of any kind may be employed, or, in fact, any power transmitting device may be employed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a car embodying my invention. Fig. '2 is a sectional elevation on line a: of Fig. 3, showing the construction of the truck with the car-body removed. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the truck. Fig. 4 is an end elevation of one of the axles and its connections, and shows the supporting-frame in section. Figs. 5 and 6 are cross-sections of modified constructions of supportingframe, whereby rigidity is obtained with lightness. Fig. 7 is a similar view of Fig. 2 of a modified arrangement of my invention. Fig. 8 is an end elevation of same. Fig. 9 is a similar view'to Fig 2 of another modification of my invention, and Fig. 10 is an end elevation of same.

A is the car-body, and is supported upon the axle-boxes b by the usual springs O.

B are the axles.

O. are the electric motors, which are provided with journal-frames sleeved by journal-boxes D upon their respective axles B. The motor-shaft in each case is connected by power-transmitting gearing H with the axle T I porting-frame F, which is preferably arranged below the motors. As shown in Figs. 2,3, and 4, this frame F is narrow and extends directly below both motors and is extended beyond each axle, where it supports the guard-boards K, said guard-boards also being sustained, if desired, by a light steadying-frame J, connecting with the axle-boxes and also with the frame F at or near its center. The frame F is supported from the motors in any suitable manner, the construction shown consisting of four inverted-U-shaped bolts I, hung over bearing portions E of the journal-bearings D of the respective motors. From this it will be seen that both the motors and their entire connection and support will be sustained from the axles independently of the axle-boxes and without the addition of any other journals than those which are at present employed for sleeving or journaling the motors themselves to the respective axles. Furthermore, the structure hereinset out will have the appearance of lightness coupled with economy of construction. The frame F may be laterally braced from the axle-boxes by the light framing J, if so desired, to prevent any tendency to swinging; but this tendency can be readily avoided by properly constructing all of the hanging connections of said frame.

WVhile in practice it is desirable that the journal E be rounded so as to permit any slight movement of the motor about their axles without binding upon the links I, yet this is not absolutely necessary, owing to the movement of the said motors atthat portion where they are sleeved upon the axle being. so very small.

In the construction shown in Figs. 7 and 8- I have the frame F arranged above the motors and the free ends of the motors hung from the said frame by the springs and bolts G. At each end of the frame F is secured a journal-bearing I, which rests upon the journal A, formed upon the journal-bearings D of the respective motors. If desired, the frame F may be continued as before and sustain the guard-boards K.

The construction shown in Figs. 9 and 10 is similar to Fig. 7 5 but in this case the motors C are geared to the respective axles B by means of worm and Worm-gearing, which are inclosed within a casing forming the bearing or journal D of the motor upon the axles 13. The free ends of the motors are sustained, as before, by springs and bolts. The sustainingframe F is arranged above the motors and is provided with bearings I, which are fitted to the journal-pins e on the sides of the frame D, and preferably above the axles. If desired, this frame may be continued, as before, to sustain the guard-boards.

In place of making the frame Fof channeliron, it may be made of any other shape in cross-section, or it may be made of several parallel beams braced together by cross-trussor construct-ion of motor-support set out in this specification.

I do not limit myself to the details of construction, as they may be modified in various ways without departing from the principles of my invention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination-of two axles, a motor journaled upon each axle by means of journal-bearings rigidly secured to the field-magnets of said motors, a supporting-frame hung from the axles through" the bearings of the motors, and a support between the said frame and the motors.

2. The combination of two axles, a motor journaled upon each axle by means of journal-bearings rigidly secured to the field-magnets of said motors, a supporting-frame hung from the axles through the bearings of the motors, a support between the said frame and the motors, and connecting-gearing between the armatures of the motors and the respective axles to which the motors are journaled.

3. The combination of two axles, a motor journaled upon each axle by journals rigidly secured to the field-magnets, a supportingframe hung from the axles without elasticity directly through the bearings of the motors, and aspring-support between the said frame and the motors at a distance from the points where the journals are secured to the fieldmagnets.

4. The combination of-two axles, a motor journaled upon each axle, a supporting-frame hung from the axles through the bearings of the motors, a support between the said frame and the motors, and guards secured to said frame and arranged in front of the wheels.

5. In an electric car, the combination of two axles, a fram e-work supported upon the axles through the mediation ofsprings andboxes, an electric motor journaled to each of the axles and connected thereto by means of suitable power-transmitting connections, a frame supported by the axles through the journals of the motors, a support for the motors upon the said frame, and lateral bracing between the said frame and the journal-boxesof the car.

6. In an electric car, the combination of two axles, a frame-work supported upon the axles through the mediation of springs and boxes, an electric motor j ournaled to each of the axles and connected thereto by means of suitable power-transmittin g connections, a frame supported by the axles through the journals of the motors, a support for the motors upon the said frame, lateral bracing between the said frame and the journal boxes of the car, and a guard supported by said lateral bracing and arranged in front of the Wheels.

7. In an electrically-propelled vehicle, the combination of a body supported upon the axles through the mediation of journal-boxes,

an electric-motor journaled upon the axle and having its motor-shaft connected thereto by suitable power-transmitting devices, a frame arranged longitudinally and supported from the axle to which the motor is journaled directly through the journals of said motor, from or upon which the frame is directly supported, and a connection between the free end of the motor and the frame, whereby th e motor is sustained in a substantially horizontal position.

8. In an electrically-propelled vehicle, the combination of a body supported upon the axles through the mediation of journal-boxes, an electric motorjournaled upon the axle and having its motor-shaft connected thereto by suitable power-transmitting devices, a frame arranged longitudinally and supported from the axle to which the motor is journaled directly through the journals of said motor, from or upon which the frame is directly'supported, and a spring-support between the free end of the motor and the frame, whereby the motor is elastically sustained in a substantially horizontal position.

9. The combination of the axles and wheels of a car, a car-body supported upon said axles through the mediation of springs, an electric motor having its field-magnets sleeved upon the axle at one end and the other end free to move about said axle as a center, a frame arranged below the motor and having an upwardly-extending part directly supported upon the journal of the motor above the axle and also supported from the other axle of the car, an elastic support between the free end of the motor and the said frame, and powertransmitting devices between the axle of the motor and the axle to which the field-magnets of the motor are sleeved or journaled.

10. In an electrically-propelled vehicle, the combination of two axles and their wheels with a motor for each axle, having its fieldmagnets sleeved or journaled upon its respective axle, power-transmitting gearing be tween the motors and the respective axles, a

frame common to both of the motors sup- 11. In an electrically-propelled vehicle, the

combination of two axles and their wheels with an electric motor having its field-magnets journaled upon one of the axles and its other end free, power-transmitting gearing between the armature of the motor and the axle to which it is journaled, a frame supported at one end by a journal-bearing arranged about the journal-bearing of the mo tor, so as to permit the movement of the motor-bearings, and supported at the other end upon the other axle, and an elastic support between the free end of the motor and the said frame.

12. In an electric car, the combination of two axles, a worm-wheel upon each axle,-a worm arranged to gear with the worm-wheel on each axle, a journal-frame for holding each worm to its axle and worm-wheel, a motor secured to each of said journal-frames and connected to rotate each of the worms, respectively, a frame supported by the axles, and an elastic support between the free ends of the motors and said frame.

13. In an electric car, the combination of the axles, a worm-wheel secured to one axle, a worm meshing with said worm-wheel, a journal-frame sleeved upon the axle and holding the worm to the worm-wheel, a motor secured to the journal-frame, a longitudinal frame supported upon both axles, and an elastic support between the free end of the motor and the said longitudinal frame.

In testimony of which invention I have hereunto set my hand.

R. M. HUNTER. \Vitnesses:

ERNEST HOWARD HUNTER, JOHN A. BRAMLEY. 

